If you’ve recently lost weight or have your summer slim on, you might dread some of those otherwise fun party invitations where sugary goodies, fatty finger foods, and boozy cocktails abound. Don’t be party pooper! Digest some of these clever tips, and get your party clothes ready.
How-To Tip #1: Drinks – It’s Your Time To Sparkle
Overdoing it on sugary mixed drinks, wine and beer is one of the ways most women and men gain excess pounds, fast. Why?
Because booze is a double whammy food.
It crashes your blood sugar while packing on extra calories without filling you up. It can also leave you feeling extra hungry the day after — meaning you load up on even more calories in an effort to stabilize your blood sugar.
My trick to enjoying a few glasses of wine with the girls as we chat around the hors d’ouevres table? I bring a bottle of white or rose wine and a bottle of sparkling water and make my own wine spritzer. It’s half the calories and alcohol and I can still toast my friends with a full glass. If you’re going totally “dry” at the party and want to avoid questioning looks or peer-pressuring comments, bring a bag of sliced lemons and lime to add to your sparkling water for a “faux gin and tonic“, or add a drop of calorie-free vanilla extract for a “cola-esque” mixed drink without the booze.
How-To Tip #2: Avoid Hostess Overload With A Wonderful Wingman
Make a strategic alliance. Take as your date a wingman or wingwoman who is an eating machine (in this case it’s my husband). You know the type, tall and lean, doesn’t gain weight and is perpetually hungry.
Although at times we may truly hate this person, they will become a vital ally who can help “carry the load” when the demanding, yet well-meaning host foists huge portions of food your way. If you don’t have such a wing person handy, use this opportunity to make new friends! Cut the gigantic portion in half and find a fresh empty plate to transfer it on. Offer it up to another guest and break the ice.
How-To Tip #3: Avoid Overeating By Arriving Fashionably Late
If you’ve been invited to a cocktail party (not a formal sit-down dinner), arrive a little later in the evening. Eat a lighter, healthy meal before you leave the house, like soup or salad, so you don’t arrive famished at the mercy of everything in sight.
If you eat light at home, you’ll still have space later in the evening to nosh a small amount of finger food or a sliver of dessert that catches your eye, winning the batter of the bulge without feeling deprived.
Arriving later to the party also means you can avoid hostess overload, since people tend to be more chill as the party is in full swing. If you’re worried about annoying your host with your tardiness, present them with an extra bottle of wine or their favorite booze and you’ll be immediately forgiven.
How-To Tip #4: Be Fun, Even with Food Allergies
Having food allergies or suffering from digestive disorders can be a total daily drag — I know I suffered with IBS for 15 years (and it still flares up from time to time).
Don’t let it get you down!
Be a good guest (the kind that gets plenty of repeat invitations) and don’t place requests or demands on a busy host to cater to your dietary needs. First, eat a small meal at home, even if you’re going to a sit-down dinner. Then bring a side dish or main dish (or both) that you can eat and also share with everyone. Last, don’t dwell on your allergies or food issues, you’re at the party to have fun! If someone asks, make a brief comment confirming them and steer the conversation to a more tempting topic.
Are you ready to look better, feel more energized, and get back that youthful feeling you remember having as a kid? I can help you on a journey that will change the way you eat — for good. My 
As a healthy cooking expert, health coach and TV host, 
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